C.R. Harington – Quaternary cave faunas of Canada: a review of the vertebrate remains. Journal of Cave and Karst Studies, v. 73, no. 3, p. 162–180. DOI: 10.4311/jcks2009pa128 QUATERNARY CAVE FAUNAS OF CANADA: A REVIEW OF THE VERTEBRATE REMAINS C.R. HARINGTON Canadian Museum of Nature (Paleobiology), Ottawa K1P 6P4 Canada,
[email protected] Abstract: Highlights of ice-age vertebrate faunas from Canadian caves are presented in geographic order (east to west). They include four each from Quebec and Ontario; three from Alberta; one from Yukon; and ten from British Columbia. Localities, vertebrate species represented, radiocarbon ages, and paleoenvironmental evidence are mentioned where available, as well as pertinent references. Of these caves, perhaps Bluefish Caves, Yukon, are most significant, because they contain evidence for the earliest people in North America. Tables provide lists of species and radiocarbon ages from each site. INTRODUCTION Gatineau, have yielded fascinating glimpses of Que´bec’s Quaternary faunas (for summaries see Beaupre´ and Caron, Although some cave faunas from the United States and 1986; and Harington, 2003a; Fig. 1a). Mexico are dealt with in the book Ice Age Cave Faunas of Saint-Elze´ar Cave (48u149200N, 65u219300W), situated North America (Schubert et al., 2003), no Canadian cave on a plateau north of Baie des Chaleurs, has produced faunas are mentioned. To help broaden that perspective, remains of three species of amphibians, one species of highlights of twenty-two Quaternary vertebrate faunas from reptile, four species of birds, and thirty-four species of Canadian caves (Fig. 1) are summarized here, progressing mammals.